A Beautiful Mess
by Firefly119
Summary: Jacob has been gone for over eighteen months and comes back to find a very angry teenage Nessie, who will stop at nothing to experience the humanity she feels was robbed from her. A story about choice, destiny and all the living in between. JXN
1. You're the Kind of Girl Who Can Take Dow

A Beautiful Mess

**Chapter One **

**Subtitled:** You're the Kind of Girl Who Can Take Down a Man

**Quotation**: The young always have the same problem - how to rebel and conform at the same time. They have now solved this by defying their parents and copying one another. ~Quentin Crisp

Nessie took the last gulp of her beer and grinned. This was easier than she thought. The warmth flooded her body. She swayed to the music, her movements becoming freer with each drink she took. Her bronze curls were piled on top of her head and her tank top hugged her body provocatively. The room smelled strongly of beer and sweat and sweet, sweet blood. As she danced through the crowds a familiar mass of blonde hair caught her eye and Nessie saw her best friend, Sarah, flirting with Pat O'Connor – THE Pat O'Connor, which of course had been the whole point of the undertaking. Nessie grinned at her in encouragement and caught the eye of one of Pat's friends, a gangly boy with carefully tousled brown hair, in the process. He winked at her and she smiled coyly back. He crossed the crowded room towards her and Nessie's every nerve thrilled with anticipation. So this was what it was like to be young, beautiful and free?

Nice.

Very Nice.

"Drew." The tall boy called over the pounding music. He flashed her an overly charming smile. Nessie didn't need her father's gift to know what he was thinking. She smiled anyway.

"Nessie. Get me a drink?" she shook her empty glass in front of him. She wasn't really sure what drink she was on, but she also wasn't really sure she cared. She smiled alluringly at him. It was mean, she knew, but if she was forced to be a freak she was going to milk it for all it was worth.

"Of course, what can I get you?" he was eager to please.

Nessie shrugged casually, "whatever you're having."

The boy smiled and grabbed the nearest drink to him from an unsuspecting young girl. He handed it to her, his white teeth flashing. Nessie took it from him, her smile never faltering, her hips still moving to the music.

"Thanks," she said. With her eyes trained on Drew, she downed the drink in one gulp and began to feel a bit dizzy. She shut her eyes briefly, enjoying the feeling, enjoying the freedom. "Yummy," she said, drawing out each syllable. She licked her lips suggestively. The boy, Drew, was almost falling all over himself now. Nessie knew that he was hers. She could have him anyway she wanted now – as a slave for life, as a lover, as….dinner.

"So I've seen you before. I think we have Chemistry together." Drew said, dancing with her now, his hands warm on her hips.

Nessie grinned, the double entendre hardly lost on her. "Oh –" she started to say.

"Actually, " a cold voice cut in as a hand gripped her, a steel grip, a grip she knew well. "I think she already has a lab partner."

Uncle Emmett was here.

Fun was over.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Bella cried, staring at her disheveled, stumbling daughter. "You just wait until your father get's home, young lady. Unbelievable, my six year old – drunk." She fumed, Emmett unconsciously taking a step back to give Bella a wide berth, yanking Nessie back with him. Nessie struggled to reclaim her balance.

Nessie just stared at her petulantly, or at least she would be once she stopped seeing double.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself young lady?" Bella cried.

Nessie continued to stare at her.

Emmett jerked her arm. "Answer your mother." He hissed.

"Oh honestly, I'm back before curfew aren't I?" Nessie muttered rolling her eyes.

"In no small thanks to your uncle! You said you were going to be with Sarah!" Bella began to pace again, her brother-in-law eying her warily.

"I _was _with Sarah." Nessie insisted, her stomach beginning to churn painfully and sweat building on her brow. She was beginning to regret chugging that last drink, or maybe the last two.

"Yeah and about a hundred other people!"

"Oh come on mom! What's the big deal? Everyone was there! I was just having a little fun." Nessie's words were rebellious but she spoke in no more then a whisper. She was afraid to speak more then absolutely necessary lest her mother and uncle get to see first hand exactly what she had had to drink that night, and for that matter, for dinner.

"You could have exposed us all! Who knows what you would have done while drunk? You could have bitten someone, or decided to show off, or a million other things –" Bella was about to continue when she noticed how green her daughter was looking. "Oh, let her go, Emmett."

Emmett shook his head, unsure, but released her anyway. Nessie made a beeline for the bathroom and where she promptly threw up immediately.

Bella closed her eyes and shook her head. "Thank you, Emmett." She said after a moment.

"It was nothing, just lucky I was passing by and got a whiff of her."

Bella nodded, looking pained. "It's the third time this month. I –"She faltered. "I don't know what we're going to do with her. I don't know what Edward was like at her age but I was nothing like this."

Emmett smiled wryly. "I remember."

Both their heads turned in Nessie's direction as they heard her moan into the toilet.

"Charming." Bella muttered. "It's going to be a long night. Go on home, Emmett. I'm sure Rosalie is wondering where you are. I really can't thank you enough. " she offered a small smile.

He returned it and clasped her hand briefly. "Chin up, Bells. Edward should be back soon. He was hungry, but he wasn't that hungry."

She squeezed his hand back and released him, waving briefly as he walked out the door. Bella heard her daughter throw up again and sighed deeply. For the first time since she died, she felt very tired.

Nessie groaned as light filtered through her window. She rolled over, thrusting a pillow over eyes. Her head was pounding. It was categorically unfair that she had all of the downfalls of being a vampire and none of the perks. Beating heart indeed. Her father hadn't had a headache in over a century. Her throat felt dry and prickly. She reached out blindly for the glass of water she'd placed by her bed the night before and knocked it to the ground, glass shattering.

"Shit." She muttered and lay for a moment more before slowly, ever so slowly pulling herself up into a sitting position, trying to ignore the fact that her head seemed to want to detach from her neck. She opened her eyes. The sun was fully up which meant it was mid-morning at least. Her hearing and eyesight slowly focused, and downstairs she heard a familiar rumbling voice that meant only one thing, her father was home and the world had officially ended. She contemplated staying in bed forever, but she knew it was a fantasy. For a moment she allowed herself to be amused by the fact that her fantasy was sleeping in and not vampires or werewolves. But the moment was soon over.

Oh the things she wished she could tell her best friend and partner in crime, Sarah.

She swung her legs out of the bed and hangover, or no, gracefully sidestepped the broken glass. She walked to the closet and pulled on jeans and a tee-shirt, glad to be wearing clean clothes at walked to her door and saw her reflection. Her strawberry blonde curls were rumpled and sweaty and her face, far from ivory, had read splotches all over it, even her eyes were blood-shot. She was almost relieved to see that she looked almost as bad as she felt. Maybe it would inspire some pity.

"Not likely, Renesme." Her father's cold voice floated upwards squashing her hope. Yep her father was definitely home.

"Morning dad," she said as she entered the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with cool water. Nothing had ever felt so good on her hot, scratchy throat. She gulped it gratefully. "Nice trip?" she asked calmly.

Her parents were seated at the kitchen table facing her, both sets of honey-colored eyes trained on her. For one ridiculous moment she felt a bit like one of their prey.

"We're not going to bite you, Renesme." Her father said, voice as velvety as ever, though there was a cold edge to it. "Though it's about the only thing we wont do."

God it was annoying that he could read her mind.

"Get over it." He said rather harshly, gesturing to the seat across from her mother and next to him. It was a bit unnerving that her dad looking younger that the boy she had been dancing with the night before, even more so because he's voice had the authoritativeness of a much older looking man. Even if he didn't look like a father, he certainly sounded and acted like one. "Care to explain yourself?" he asked, cocking a perfect eyebrow.

Nessie looked to her mother for help but her mother's lips were smoothed into a cold line. No, no help from that corner. She was definitely on her own.

"Look you guys said I was ready for school. You wanted me to have a normal experience. So I went out. I was normal. I experienced." She shrugged her shoulders, her face as relaxed as ever.

Her fathers face was dark with fury. "I said _normal _not _reckless, _Nessie!"

"Wake up dad. 1900 has come and gone. Last night was normal!" Nessie said, playing absentmindedly with her glass.

"Oh don't pull that with us! You mother was your age seven years ago. I'm sorry but seven years is not enough time to invent the wheel." Edwards voice was even and cool but Nessie knew what was lurking underneath and she wasn't sure she wanted to push her luck. Besides, though they were only literally a heartbeat away from her physically, there were something's they just didn't need, or want, to hear.

She took a deep breath, made sure to think regretful and apologetic thoughts and formed her features contritely. "You're right, Dad." She said, after the appropriate amount of time had passed. "It was stupid and I'm sorry."

Her father stared hard at her for a moment before nodding his head slightly to Bella.

"Thank you, Nessie." She said, speaking for the first time. "And as penance you are grounded until further notice. You'll come back here every day directly after school. You will surrender you cell phone immediately and you're not to do anything with anyone outside of the family. And if you think that means you can still play video games with your uncles or go shopping with your Aunt Alice you are sadly mistaken. Am I clear?"

"Crystal." Nessie said, meeting her mother's eyes, her voice steely.

"Good, go get your cell phone, and clean up that glass you broke while you're at it. When you've finished, you can take your school work over to your grandparents. Your Uncle Jasper is going to help you with you history paper."

Nessie got up silently and left the room. A few minutes later they heard her leave through the back door to walk the mile to Carlisle and Esme's.

"What are we going to do?" Bella asked, shaking her head.

"I don't know." Edward said, his head in his hands. "I can't remember ever acting like this."

"It's got to be the Renee in her." Bella muttered, suppressing a smile at her own mother. "The impulsiveness, recklessness…"

"What about the destructiveness?" Edward asked, pursing his lips.

Bella shrugged her shoulders, helpless.

"I never thought I would say this, but when does Jacob come back? "

Bella shook her head. "I don't know. But he's going to be shocked when he does."

"Yeah well I don't think any of us envisioned this happening when he left. Besides, he's the alpha, he needed some time with his pack." Edward said. They both stared at where their daughter had been sitting only a moment before. "Well, I'm sure we both feel a lot less useless then Alice. This must be killing her, not to be able to see Nessie." Edward said, smiling weakly.

Bella, despite herself laughed. "Yeah, it can't be fun to be the blind psychic."

They shared a smile, though deep down, for the first time in many years, they both felt very much alone.

Disclaimer – The characters etc belong to Stephanie Meyer. A beautiful mess is property of Jason Mraz.

A/N – So this is my very first Twilight story and I thought it would be interesting to play on the idea of choice and destiny. I thought it was interesting that though most everyone in the story, with the exception of Bella didn't choose to be a vampire or werewolf yet they still got to experience humanity at one point, whereas for Nessie, this half-life was never a choice for her, and there will never be anything else. So in some ways it would be even more painful for her because she was so close to humanity but not quite there. And then you add in the Jacob imprinting thing and I thought it would be fun to play with her own feels about choice.

So yeah, Jacob will make an appearance very soon and any ideas or criticism you guys have is always welcome. I don't know everything and if I've gotten something wrong please just let me know!

Peace and love.


	2. And Don't Mind My Nerve

**A Beautiful Mess**

**Chapter Two**

**Subtitled:** And Don't Mind My Nerve

**Quotation:** _All I can say about life is, Oh God, enjoy it!_

Bob Newhart (1929 - )

* * *

"So what do you say?" Sarah whispered late Tuesday afternoon, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. "Are you down? Friday?"

Nessie looked up and eyed their history teacher who was still copying their homework onto the board. "I can't, my parents want me right after school. I'm grounded, remember?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "So? Sneak out. What's the big deal?"

"I can't." Nessie insisted. "They were so pissed. Besides, my Uncle Jasper is home from school this weekend, and my mom wants Edward and me home for dinner."

"Wait, you're really hot uncle? The blonde one? The one in med school?" Sarah's eyes lit up at the thought.

"That's the one, though I wouldn't call him hot." Nessie muttered just as the bell rang.

"Well I would!" Sarah said collecting her books. "Besides , you're adopted. Don't tell me it's never crossed your mind!" she raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Eww Sarah! That's disgusting, even for you!" Nessie cried, filing out the door only to find a familiar face waiting for her.

"Oh look, it's super brother. " Sarah giggled in Nessie's ear. "Here to save the day from fun, once again!"

Nessie bit back a laugh, noticing how her father looked far from amused. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sarah!" she called as they parted ways.

"Say hi to your uncle for me!" Sarah replied, blissfully ignoring the look of contempt on Edward's face.

Nessie rolled her eyes and dutifully followed her father towards the parking lot. "So, Edward, good day at school?" she placed particular emphasis on his name as they walked towards the car, where her first name privileges promptly ended.

"Titillating as always." Edward replied dryly and opened the car door for her. They both paused to wave at Alice and Bella who were walking towards their own car. Once Nessie had reached school age it was impossible to pretend they were all Esme and Carlisle's adopted children so they went to an old stand-by.

In the old days before Bella or Nessie, Rosalie and Emmett had sometimes posed as a married couple. So for this particular go around in Mobile, Alaska, Edward and Nessie were siblings that they, the Swans, had adopted when Nessie and Edward's parents had died in a car crash. Jasper Hale was Rosalie's brother who was a med student at the University of Alaska. Esme was Emmett's big sister, married to Carlisle, and adoptive parents of Bella and Alice Cullen. Esme and Carlisle had inspired Rosalie and Emmett to adopt in the first place since they had found it to be such a satisfying endeavor.

It was confusing to everyone at first, but Nessie did eventually master it. She, Nessie was sixteen and a sophomore. Her father, Edward, was posing as her seventeen year old brother. Her aunt and uncle were posing as her parents. Her Uncle Jasper was still her Uncle. Her grand-parents were now her aunt and uncle and mother and aunt were her cousins. They had three years left of this particular charade but a month in and she already had a headache.

Nessie sighed and fiddled with the radio. Her father was still quite angry with her and wasn't about to do her any favors in the way of small talk. She saw their familiar red mailbox peaking through the trees up ahead. They were almost home.

Her parents' home, of course, turned into Rosalie and Emmett's as soon as they had guests, which they very rarely did and on the odd occasion Sarah came over, Rosalie actually loved to play mother hen. For his part, Emmett was a police officer at the local precinct, not quite a stretch as he had already gone through the academy several times. He was careful, though, to only work the nightshifts, claiming he wanted to spend his afternoons with his kids while they were still at home. Emmett, of course, found the whole thing hilarious and enjoyed patting Edward on the head and calling him son. Although, even Edward could admit it was useful to have a police officer in the family in case anything strange happened.

Nessie was snapped out of her thoughts as they passed their driveway. "Uh dad? Home's that way." She pointed directly behind her.

For the first time Edward allowed himself a small smile. "We're not going home. We're going to you grand-parents. I have something I need to take care of, so you're going to hang out with them for awhile." He was grinning at this point, anticipating the explosion.

"What?" Nessie cried, slamming back dramatically in her seat. "I don't need a babysitter I'm sixteen!"

"Actually, darling, you're six. And if Saturday has shown your mother and me anything, you do need a babysitter. Or, in this case, six."

Nessie grimaced at the mention of six but swallowed her disdain. There were bigger fish to fry. "Well why can't mom watch me?"

"Because, Renesme, your mother deserves a break sometimes. "

"You don't get to take a break from being a parent." Nessie said sullenly , crossing her arm resentfully.

Edward couldn't help himself and laughed. "You're telling me kid."

He turned onto a gravel lane that wound through the trees. They sat in steely silence while Edward tried not to be amused at his daughters fuming thoughts. His kid was smart, but she was definitely not an adult yet. His amusement, stopped short, however at one particularly colorful expletive.

"Hey! You watch your language!" he warned.

Nessie turned to him and smiled sweetly. "I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to." Edward reminded her, suddenly furious at her serene face. He was about to argue further but they had arrived at the stately Georgian. Of all of their homes, this had to be one of his all time favorites. The ivy climbed up the west wing and the brick was warm, even inviting. He'd forgotten long ago what it was like to be warm but staring at the house made him feel as though he might remember. He was brought out of his thoughts rather abruptly as the passenger side door slammed shut.

He brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Nessie…"He sighed, though he knew it was a lost cause.

"Whatever, dad. If it breaks I'll buy you a new one."

The door opened just as they reached it, but Nessie stormed past Esme without so much as a hello. Edward looked at his mother helplessly.

"She's not very happy with me." He said and handed Nessie's backpack to her with a sigh.

"No kidding." She said eyebrows raised. She could still here Nessie stomping at the other end of the house.

Behind him a blue SLK Mercedes pulled up. Alice and Bella got out.

"Hey Edward! " Alice called and stood on her tip-toes to kiss him on the cheek. "Mom." She added and skipped through the door. "Later Bells!" she called, following her niece into the kitchen.

Edward turned to Bella, his anxiety slowly evaporating. He smiled warmly at her. "Hey Bella. I missed you." He kissed the top of her head.

"I saw you two hours ago in Chemistry." She said rolling her eyes, but secretly pleased. "All set?" She asked Esme.

Esme smiled warmly. "Don't worry, we've got everything under control. Go, enjoy yourselves. Rosalie and I will call into school for you two tomorrow. Flu sound alright? "

Edward laughed. "Flu is fine. Thanks mom. I mean it. We really needed this."

Esme smiled. "Glad we could help. " she saw Bella's worried face. "Don't worry about it! She's going to be fine! It's not like she's the first teenager I've ever watched! GO!" she urged.

Bella smiled in response and followed her husband to the car. "See you in couple of days!" she called.

* * *

Nessie tapped her foot impatiently, trying to devise ways she could sneak back to her house and rescue her cell phone from the depths of her mother's dresser drawer. If she was going to be on lock-down the least she could do was have some contact with the outside world. Even prisoners got to write letters.

"Oh come on kido, why the face?" Her Uncle Jasper asked, taking the seat across from her. He drummed his fingers lazily on the kitchen table.

"Well let's see. My parents are off on some kick ass vacation. My best friend is going out with everyone who's everyone. And I'm stuck here where the youngest person is ninety-three." Nessie said huffily, trying not to succumb to her uncle's gentle smile. She'd always had a soft spot for her Uncle Jasper. He'd always given her a wider berth then the rest of her family.

"Hey!" Alice called from the next room. "I'm ninety-one!"

Jasper smiled a slow and lazy smile. "See she's ninety-one. Besides I'd hardly call a bed and breakfast outside of Anchorage 'kickass'."

Behind him Emmett snorted as he got the supplies out the fridge for Nessie's dinner. "Especially if you're the third wheel." He muttered suggestively.

Rosalie smacked him on the head as she entered the room. "Let's keep the sexual innuendo to a bare minimum around the kid, alright?" she said, exasperated, and shooed him out of the kitchen.

"Here, here!" Nessie called, grimacing at the thought of her parents at a romantic hideaway. She shook her head in disgust.

"As for the last bit, there's got to be something fun you want to do." Jasper said, trying to ignore his siblings as much as possible. Of course in eighty years his success had been negligible. "I mean I might be a hundred and sixty eight but I still know how to have a good time."

She eyed him skeptically from under her long, dark lashes.

* * *

The blood was pounding in her ears. Nessie felt so alive she never wanted the moment to stop. "This is unbelievable!" Nessie screamed as the odometer inched towards one fifty.

"Yeah well don't tell your father! He'll kill us!" Jasper cried back, handling the green Porsche convertible with incredible ease considering the speed. He steered with his left hand and his right played with the radio stations.

"Don't worry. He won't find out." Alice said serenely from the backseat, as she filed her nails.

Next to them Rosalie's red Jag nosed ahead, while Emmett taunted them from the passenger side.

"What are you going to do Emmett?" Jasper called. "Arrest us for speeding?" and he pushed the accelerator as far as it would go. They pulled slightly ahead of Rosalie. At that moment both Jasper and Rosalie's phone rang. Jasper glanced at the screen and held his up.

"Esme!"

"Carlisle!" Rosalie called back.

"Busted." Nessie said simply.

When they had arrived back, Nessie's curls were still completely wind blown and her cheeks were raw. She eyed Rosalie's perfect hair jealously.

Esme met them at the door to the garage shaking her head from the steps above them, her hands clasped in her apron. She smelt faintly of oregeno. "Nessie, go wash up for dinner, please." She moved to the side to allow Nessie to pass.

"Sorry." Nessie mouthed to the others as she walked into the house.

Esme turned back the remaining four. "What were you thinking?" she sighed. "Edward is going to kill you."

"We just wanted to show her a good time. Prove she didn't have to go to a party to have fun." Jasper said.

"No she just has to drive at impossibly high speeds that she can't possibly replicate safely. She is still half human you know." She eyed her children sternly and everyone had the good grace to look contrite. "Besides you seem to have forgotten while you were trying to prove how hip you are, that we're trying to make her less wild, not widen her range of options."

"Sorry mom." Jasper and Emmett muttered.

"But nothing was going to happen! I saw!" Alice insisted.

"Yes, you saw the four of you." Carlisle said mildly, coming up behind his wife. "You can't see Nessie, and you know that. Rosalie, I'm especially surprised at you. Suppose someone had seen you? You're her mother after all. Do you want child services showing up and then we'll have to explain why you were drag racing with your child? That will be especially difficult considering your husband, the patrol officer, was sitting right next to you."

No one argued and all muttered an apology but as they followed Carlisle and Esme into the house, Emmett and Jasper shared a secret and not at all apologetic high five.

* * *

After dinner Nessie excused herself to do some homework in Jasper's study, which he had graciously offered. When she was safely in the sound proofed room, a feature Jasper had insisted upon after eighty years without a moment of solitude, the rest of the family fanned out in the living room. Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie played poker and Alice flipped lazily through fashion magazines with Esme. Carlisle had some patient histories on his lap.

"She's not happy." Jasper sighed. He couldn't hear Nessie, but he could feel her, which was their current safe guard against her sneaking out into the night. He anted up.

"She hasn't been happy in awhile." Emmett said, remembering her drunken dance at the party a few nights earlier.

"Is it hormones?" Rosalie asked Carlisle turning fully to face him.

Carlisle put down his files. "I think it's probably just normal teenage stuff. We were all their at some point or another. Add the secrecy of our lives and they fact that she knows she can't form any significant bonds since we'll have to move in three years anyway; it's no wonder she's acting out. Though I admit she is very angry."

"Well maybe it will help when Jacob comes back. They've always been so close." Alice said always trying to find the bright side.

Esme shifted her weight uncomfortable. "Who knows? When he left she was eleven. A lots changed since then."

Jasper was staring down the hall towards his study. After a short burst of excitement he felt anxiety again. She must have figured out the answer to a question. He sent her calming waves. "Actually, I think everything's changed since then."

* * *

The smells, the feel of leaves crunching beneath his paws, the cool, night breeze ruffling his fur, Jacob felt more then alive. He felt intrinsic as though he were an essential part of his surroundings. Around him he could hear his pack's thoughts. The newest members had made so much progress and soon he could return to the Cullens. He thought of Nessie's sweet little curls, and the tea parties he'd helped her host. His heart soared at the thought of his sweet little Nessie. For a moment he let himself get lost in the thoughts of all the places he could take her. It was too cold in Alaska for a beach, but maybe there was a local pool? Maybe she was too old of bed time stories? He smiled as well as he could in wolf form. She was just such a sweet kid.

* * *

Nessie was very careful to keep her feelings as neutral as possible. After realizing that Jasper had left his lap top she'd only let herself feel one sharp eruption of excitement and then she'd shut herself down as well as she could. She gingerly opened the lid of the computer and opened the browser. She signed into her e-mail account and typed in Sarah's e-mail address.

_I'll be there Friday night. Meet me at the stop sign a mile before my driveway at 10:30. I'll be there. _

She pressed send, cleared the browser history and carefully closed the lid. Leaning back in her uncle's desk chair she let the cool breeze waft in and ruffle her hair. She grinned. She felt more then alive. She was finally part of something. This weekend was going to be sweet.

* * *

**A/N** – Well we did get to briefly see Jacob this chapter. And boy is he in for a shock. I'm sorry if it was bit fluffy but it should pick up soon. Please review and let me know if you liked it, or hated it, or have ideas or questions!

Till next time…


	3. Your Mind Is Rather Reckless

**A Beautiful Mess**

**Chapter Three**

**Subtitled**: _Your Mind Is Rather Reckless_

**Quotation:** _"The main problem with teenagers is that they're just like their parents were at their age" - anonymous_

_

* * *

  
_

Nessie tapped her pencil, staring out the window, careful to feel as bored as possible, not that was difficult since she'd been holed up at her relatives for three days. She tapped a little more urgently, sighed loudly and then it happened.

"What's the matter, Nessie?" her Aunt Alice asked, swooping in from nowhere.

"I'm bored." She sighed, gesturely dramatically at the homework she had long since finished. She may only have been six, but she mastered Tennyson before her first birthday. She saw Alice glance discreetly at Jasper who nodded slightly. _Perfect_ Nessie thought.

"Well, do you want to go hunting?" Alice asked.

Nessie crinkled her nose and shook her head. She may have prefered blood over human food as child but as soon as she had figured out that Carlisle wasn't going to provide her with donated human blood for the rest of her life, she had warmed up quite quickly to pot roast. These days the meat of an animal was quite preferable to its circulatory system. Besides, none of her friends drank blood.

"Want to play some video games with me, kiddo?" Emmett called from across the room as he soundly thrashed Rosalie in Call of Duty.

"Nah, you cheat!" Nessie whined. "You know all the codes!"

"Well how about some chess?" Jasper offered, putting down the book he'd been reading.

Nessie rolled her eyes. "You're so good, you may as well be cheating. It's not like I need another reason to feel ordinary." She muttered to herself, knowing full well they could hear her. It was a low blow and she knew it, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She looked down at her hands but discreetly watched Alice pleading non-verbally with Rosalie, and then the moment Nessie had been waiting for – Alice looked triumphant.

"I know!" Alice cried, "Let's go shopping!"

Nessie's head shot up, her eyes lighting with excitement. "Can we?" she cried.

"Go upstairs and get your coat." Her aunt smiled. _Gotcha_! Nessie thought and pratically skipped into Jasper's study where she had left it that afternoon after school She left the door open, though and listened intently to her family down the hall. She stalled, taking her sweet time getting a coat that was right before her eyes. While she killed time she opened both the windows. It would save her time later.

"I still don't know…" she heard her Aunt Rosalie sigh. "She's not supposed to go shopping – or play video games." She added elbowing her husband in the ribs.

"Ow!" he cried, pausing the game to rub his side.

"Oh come on, Rose!" Alice pleaded. "The kid is miserable…" She looked to Jasper for help.

"It's true," he said simply. "And she did feel much happier when Alice suggested shopping, almost – elated."

"Of course she did, because she has far more sense then her mother!" Alice said smugly, not at all suspicious that someone could find the idea of shopping elating. "Come on Rose, Edward and Bella will never know. Plus if we can get her to feel happy about something like shopping then maybe she'll stop doing other things to have fun!"

Rose paused, but the logic was compelling. In the end, she loved Nessie has her own had fought for her as hard as Bella had, and she really did just want what was best for her. "Oh alright…" she conceded. "But have her back before Carlisle and Esme get back."

"Not a problem!" Alice said and in the office Nessie grinned, grabbing her coat and running back down the hall. Her timing impeccable, or so it seemed. "Ready, Nessie?"

Nessie nodded. "Can I drive?" she asked hopefully.

"No!" Three angry voices responded.

Nessie shurgged coyly. "Can't blame a girl for trying, can you?" she asked.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Come on, don't push your luck. Let's get out of here before cooler heads prevail and they change their minds."

* * *

Nessie had gone on countless shopping trips with her aunt and so she had a fairly good idea of how best to play the situation. And the truth was, as plans went this one wasn't even unpleasant. She actually quite liked shopping and shopping with Alice was always fun because she wasn't afraid of spoiling her the way her parents, grandparents and Rosalie were. She allowed her Aunt to steer her through three department stores and then, to soften Alice up, Nessie suggested Alice's favorite shoe store which just happened to be right next to their destination, though not that Alice knew that.

As they left the shoe store, their arms seriously burdened with bags, Nessie looked at the display of the store next door and cried out in delight. Alice followed her gaze – it was a lingerie store.

"Oh, Aunt Alice how stunning is that?" Nessie cried, rushing forward and pointing at an intricately lacy black bra.

Alice raised her eyebrows, hoping desperately that this was not leading where she thought it was. "It's very pretty, Nessie." She said choosing her words carefully. "But don't you think you're a little young?" she asked.

Nessie's laughed and thought of the most embarrassing thing she could – catching her parents having sex – and blushed. "Eww Aunt Alice! Not for me! For you!"

Alice had never been so relieved her life.

"It would be so pretty on you! You have to get it!" She turned away from the window, her eyes shining with unselfish excitement.

Alice hesitated for a moment, beginning to feel a little uneasy about her niece her encouraging her to buy lingerie, but Nessie had anticipated that.

"I don't know…" Alice said, marveling to herself that the day at finally come where she needed to be convinced to buy something.

Nessie shrugged her shoulders casually. "Well I just figured it would be a nice gesture." Nessie said innocently.

Alice's eyebrows knit in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you because I don't even know if I'm supposed to know this…" Nessie stalled, chewing her lip and looking quite unsure.

"I promise. I won't tell!" Alice said sincerely.

Nessie couldn't believe how easy this was and pushed ahead confidently.

"Well, Uncle Jasper doesn't want you to know this because he doesn't want you to feel bad because he knows it's not your fault, but I heard him tell Uncle Emmett that misses you because you're at school all day with us and he's always in Anchorage in class. He's used to spending all day with you so I guess he feels a little…" she paused as though searching for the right word.

"Neglected?" Alice asked, beginning to feel incredibly guilty. She shook her head thinking of her stupid soldier always dealing with other people's feelings and never thinking of himself, mostly because he had some crazy idea about not being worth it.

Nessie nodded grimly, and before her chin even reach her chest, Alice was in the store and grabbing the bra. She watched her aunt pay and had to admit to herself, she did feel a little guilty. She loved her family and it was incredibly mean to play them like this but she was sick and tired to being controled. And they just didn't understand. They couldn't understand. She finally had real friends. She finally felt normal and she wasn't about to give that up just because her family had all chosen this weird unlife – and inflicted it on her. Her mother had told her many times how much she had wanted to be a vampire and while Nessie thought it was fine and dandy for her mother, she didn't much like being condemned to some weird purgatory of an existence where she was not a human and not a vampire. So, though she knew it was awful to manipulate the family she loved, she also knew that they had each other and she didn't belong anywhere – not really but that was all going to change if she had anything to do about it.

Her aunt returned in short order and glaced at her watch. "Alright! Time to hit the road!" Alice said.

"You're going to eat dinner with me tonight, right?" Nessie asked as they walked to the car and put the packages in the backseat.

"Sure, if you like." Alice said.

Nessie smiled. "Good." She said, and she meant it. It wouldn't do to have her Uncle Jasper disappear too soon. In this scenerio, timing was everything.

* * *

Nessie played fifteen games of chess with Jasper after dinner, her eye occasionally shifting discreetly to the clock on the mantle. At nine forty –five she pushed over her own king and sighed. "Alright! You win!"

"Are you sure?" Jasper asked, there were still many pieces on the board. "You were doing so well!"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Nessie said. "I'm sick of chess. " she smiled ruefully at her uncle. "No offense."

"None taken." He said, laughing softly. They packed up the game and Nessie turned around to find Alice passionately kissing Jasper and whispering something in his hear.

Nessie didn't have to try to feel disgusted. She turned to Rosalie who flipping through a car manual on the floor. "I think I'm going to read in Jasper's study if that's okay." She said as Jasper carried Alice up the stairs. "

Rosalie smiled sympathetically. "That's fine." She said as a great thump and a huge giggle were heard upstairs. "I'll come in to check on you in a little bit."

"Maybe we should think about sound proofing all the rooms!" Nessie said, eyeing the ceiling warily.

"Don't think I haven't considered it." Carlisle said dryly from hes desk across the room. He shared a pained look with Esme who was standing in the kitchen reaching for a CD she kept on hand just for such occasions.

Nessie walked into the office and shut the door. She checked to make sure the bag she had put in there earlier was still in the closet. She turned off all the lights but the desk lamp near the couch and grabbed a copy of Great Expections from the book shelf lining the western wall of the office. Sprawling out on one of the huge leather couches, she read a few pages and checked the clock. It was ten after ten. Any minute now.

She placed the book open and face down on her stomach and shut her eyes. It wasn't hard to relax as the breeze came through the window and the light was soft and warm. Without any effort at all her heart beat evened out and her breathing slowed. She was careful to stay awake but as relaxed as possible, as if meditating. Moments later there was a soft knock at the door. Nessie didn't stir but heard voices.

"No wonder she's asleep." She heard her Uncle Emmett say as softly as he could with so loud a voice. "She's reading Dickens."

She couldn't see it but she was sure whomever he was with was rolling his or her eyes.

"Should we move her?" Esme murmered.

"What and subject her to the racket upstairs? Not only will she never get back to sleep but, she'll be therapy for the rest of her life. It's quiet in here." Rosalie muttered darkly.

Nessie felt the weight of the book being lifted off her chest and a soft blanket being lowered. Cold, soft hands smoothed her hair. Nessie made a concerted effort not to transmit anything. But the cold, soft hands felt so good and loving, her stomach twisted painfully. She want to sit up and tell the owner of the cold, soft hands (whether it was Rosalie, Emmett or Esme she didn't much care) that it wasn't Jasper and Alice's fault. That she had manipulated Alice into seducing Jasper so he'd be too occupied to notice her feelings. That she knew she was a horrible, rotten, no good person but that she had a very good reason. But, before any confessions could be made through what she was sure would be some very dramatic sobs, the hands were gone and the lamp switched off. A moment later she was very much alone.

She lay in the dark for one, very lonely minute before her courage flooded back. She sat up and walked to the closet sweeping the bag off the floor. She took a deep breath and hopped soundlessly out the window and into the forest below. She hitched her bag and ran to the main road. She was going to have to change in the car.

* * *

Jacob grinned as he flew down the road, glad to be in the final stretch. It had taken him a little longer then expected, but after finishing the run from Forks to Alaska, he'd stopped at his own pathetic excuse for a house only long enough to shower and grab some real clothes before climbing into his old sedan, a purchase made after the move to Alaska, even though he prefered running, only because he looked odd walking around barefoot and shirtless that far North.

It was eleven at night, and though he knew Nessie was probably asleep, he figured that Edward and Bella were better then no company at all. For a moment his heart twinged and he thought of home – well his home before Nessie. His heart was always in two places, even if his soul was always with her. It had been so hard to leave his father, his pack, his sister, even his obnoxious brother-in-law but it was so much easier then being away from Nessie. At least he didn't walk around Alaska feeling like he'd left a most of himself in another state.

He turned the corner and his heart quickened as he saw the red mailbox. He was so close to home! He turned onto the drive and arrived moments later in front of Bella and Edward's house. He frowned. All the lights were off and worse still, he couldn't smell a single vampire. His already racing heart started pumping so fast he thought it would burst. But before he allowed himself to completely panic, he put the care back in gear and drove back up the driveway. He convinced himself that everyone must be up at the main house.

The Cullens would never leave without telling him, he knew that. Even Rosalie was civil to him after all these years. And he was sure that if something had happened someone would have called. He breathed deeply, urging the car towards the main house. He turned down the drive and he nearly cried with relief as he saw the lights flickering far ahead through the trees and he smelled that familiar smell that may have disgusted him but also delighted him – he was home.

He rapped sharply on the door and wasn't the least bit surprised when it opened before he could raise his hand for a second knock.

"Jacob!" Esme cried and drew him into a tight hug. "What a fabulous surprise. We've missed you!" Her voice was warm and sincere, but Jacob caught the look she shot to her husband, who stood behind her.

"It is wonderful to see you." Carlisle agreed and hugged Jacob too, clapping him gently on the back. "It's been too long. Everything good with the pack?"

Jacob nodded, surprised once again at how comfortable he was among his inborn enemies. Spending time with the Cullens made him that that maybe Romeo and Juliet gave up a little too quickly on the one big happy family thing. He could hear some opera singer over the sound system in the next room. He shook his head. Even for Vampires, the Cullens were one weird family.

"I thought I smelled something foul." A cool voice drawled from down the hall, but there was a small smile playing on Rosalie's lips.

"What'd I tell you about washing your upper lip, Blondie?" Jacob countered, but there was no denying the warmth in his voice. He waved to Emmett as he followed Rosalie into the living room, Esme and Carlisle on his heels. Jacob hated to be impatient but he run quite a long way. "So I went by Bella's and no one was there. What gives?" he asked, still worried but feeling much better after seeing their calm faces. Not a snarl in sight – an excellent sign considering this family's tendency to over react.

"Bella and Edward went on a little vacation." Esme said, handing him an unasked for tea, which he happily accepted.

Jacob felt the cold rush of disappointment. Seeing his face, Carlisle smiled kindly.

"But Nessie's been staying with us," he added. "She's sleeping down the hall in Jasper's study."

Jacob's heart immediately reinflated and he was beginning to feel very happy, which made him think. "Where's Jasper and Alice?" he asked, noticing their absense for the first time.

"What d'you think the music is for?" Emmett quipped and Jacob grimaced with realization.

"I'm sure they'll be down in a minute. Your smell would ruin any moment." Rosalie said coldly, though she was secretly glad for his presence. Even with the music she could hear far more then she wanted to. Apparently shopping wasn't the only thing Alice squealed over.

Sure enough, not a minute later, Alice and Jasper strode into the living room and greeted Jacob warmly. Jacob hugged them back gingerly, well aware of where they had been.

"Hey, would you guys mind terribly if I peaked in on her?" Jacob said after a few minutes of pleasantries.

"Go ahead." Rosalie said. "She was out when I checked on her about an hour ago, beyond all reason of course," she added shooting Alice and Jasper a dirty look. When it came to Nessie, Rosalie always managed to conveniently forget her own indiscretions.

Jacob stood and walked to the study. He knew she was sleeping so he didn't knocked but instead cracked the door slowly, eager to see her again. The door was not open three inches when he knew something was wrong. Where a beating heart should have been, only complete silence remained. He burst open the door completely and found a completely empty dark room. "Cullens!" he screamed, horrified.

They were at his side in an instant ready to pounce but they all relaxed, all of them that is, except Jacob. Alice shook her head in absolute shock. Rosalie looked enraged. And Esme and Carlisle shared an awkward look.

"She is good," Emmett chuckled, shaking his head in amazement.

Jacob whirled around panicking. "What do you mean?" he cried. "Is she hiding?" He'd never known Nessie to be all that much into hide-and-go-seek but then he had been gone a while.

"Not exactly," Jasper said quietly, drawing Jacob back into the living room but not even Jasper could appease him.

"Well where is she?" he roared. "Did some other coven kidnap her?"

"Jacob," Carlisle said calmly. "You have to calm down. We don't know where she is but we can promise you this has nothing to do with the supernatural."

Jacob stared at him blankly for a moment. That was a first. Before he could say anything else, though, Rosalie had turned on Jasper. "How could you let this happen?" she cried. "Why didn't you feel her leave."

"I wasn't exactly concentrating on it Rose." Jasper said stiffly, guilt pouring over him hot and thick.

Rose opened her mouth to scream again but Carlisle put a hand up and silenced her.

"I'm sorry," Jacob said dully. "I'm still really confused. What the hell is going on?"

"Nessie snuck out." Alice muttered, without looking at him. She was still replaying the day's events, trying to decided if what she thought happened had actually happened. Surely her Nessie wasn't that coniving.

"Let's just say she takes after Bella when it comes to getting what she wants." Emmett said, looking more amused then anything else. "And yes, Esme, I'm already on my way to the station." He said, anwering his mother's unanswered question. "It's my night off, but I guess the little woman and I could use a little overtime. God know's we're broke," his eyes twinkled as he sauntered cheerfully to the door, not even the slightest bit perturbed as the vase Rosalie threw at him made contact with the back of his head and shattered spectacularly. Carlisle and Jasper had to suppress a smile.

Jacob had dealt with a lot of situations but Nessie sneaking out was shaking him more then many of the others. This was all just way to weird. He wasn't even sure his mind was working even more. She was just a child. Where was she sneaking off to, the park?

"So what do we do?" Jacob asked finally.

"Well," Carlisle said thoughtfully, "Hopefully she went to a party that will get busted and Emmett will pick her up. If not, we wait. She'll come home eventually."

And Jacob had a few words for her when she did.

**A/N – Well that was a nice long chapter. I hope you don't find Nessie too unlikable and now that we have Jacob (yay!) I think she'll be a little more humanized. I have to say though, Nessie is even more conniving then I thought she would be when I sat down to write this. I hope no one found this chapter too boring, I just wanted Jacob to be really shocked when he got back. Anyway thanks for reading and please review!!**

**Thanks to XXXtwilightfan93XXX, infinite freedom, katchelle 87, jj1507, and proud2beatwerd for reviewing! You guys are the best!**


	4. It's Like Picking Up Trash in Dresses

**A Beautiful Mess**

**Chapter Four**

**Subtitled:** _It's Like Picking Up Trash In Dresses_

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* * *

  
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Nessie giggled as she shimmed awkwardly through the window. She wasn't used to being clumsy but she didn't care. With the alcohol running through her veins she felt free, normal and most of all forgetful. She landed next to Jasper's desk with a soft thud. The room was as dark, and therefore soundproof, as before, so she turned around utterly unconcerned and then, her eyes adjusting, she screamed. Her hands flew to her mouth a moment too late as she realized the person sitting calmly on the couch was no evil enemy.

It was much worse.

"Jacob," she gasped, stumbling forward. All fear left her and she felt oddly euphoric. She launched herself at him, hardly noticing that he wasn't hugging her back.

"You're drunk." He said stiffly.

She stepped back, as though stung.

She stared at him for a moment, her mind far more sluggish than usual. She blinked several times, aware that even in the dark he could see her every moment. She had nothing to say. After one horrible moment of silence, Jacob turned on heel and strode out of the room without looking back. Nessie barely had time to register anything as her happiness quickly turned to despair. She crumpled to the ground and sobbed.

Jacob ignored Jasper and Alice as he strode angrily from the living room and out the screen door. He needed to think. He needed to breathe.

He took in the cool October air furiously. It stung his lungs but nonetheless he gulped, grateful, hopeful even that it would give him some clarity –some clue where to go from here. Eighteen months ago Nessie was a little girl with a princess gown, and now…

Her gold, glittering, revealing top ran relentlessly through his head. The way she swayed uneasily…

He could just see those disgusting teenage boys leering at her.

He pounded his fist onto the deck, splinters flying everywhere.

He had left a child and found a teenager so utterly out of control, it was dangerous. Unbidden an image flew to his mind of Bella jumping recklessly onto her motorcycle, though she had known only the emergency room awaited her. He though he'd left those days behind him. He thought he'd left childhood behind.

As usual, he was wrong.

How could Bella and Edward have let this happen? How could anyone have let this happen? He shot a furious glance through the window, half-hoping one of them could see. If only one of them had cared as much as he did…

He paused, knowing he was being unfair. He let out a tortured breath, unaware that he had even been holding it.

The cold air was working its magic. He could feel his muscles begin to loosen, the tension slowly leaving him. He glanced down at the dent he'd made. He was going to have to make this up to Esme. He took one last glace at the dark night, suddenly struck down by the loneliness. A feeling the night had never given him before. He took a deep breath and walked back into the house.

They were all waiting for him, not that it surprised him.

"Jacob –" Esme started but he held his hand up to silence her.

"How did this happen?" Jacob asked, his pacing looking frenetic next to the unnatural stillness of the vampires.

"We're not sure." Carlisle said. The words sounded strange and heavy coming from Carlisle's lips. "Shortly after you left she became restless. Then this summer she met some local kids and started spending all of her time with then. By the time school started she was sneaking out, drinking, lying."

Jacob cringed. This was all his fault. He was suddenly suffocating under the guilt. He despised himself.

Jasper grimaced, overpowered by Jacob's feelings. "Jacob, you couldn't have known." He said.

"No one blames you." Carlisle said.

"Speak for yourself." Rosalie muttered, her arms crossed, face hostile.

"Enough." Carlisle said.

"No, she's right." Jacob said struggling under the weight of his emotions. His mind was spinning. He knew Nessie better than anyone, better then himself, even.

He thought he did anyway…

* * *

Nessie struggled to open her eyes, which had swollen from crying the night before. Her hand flew automatically to her neck. She rubbed the kink in it gingerly. She had curled into a rather awkward position on the couch after crying herself to sleep the night before. She didn't care what Rosalie said to Emmett – couches were definitely not for sleeping (or in his case exiling) no matter what the crime had been.

Crime…

Jacob…

Any relief, however minimal, sleep had given deserted her without ceremony. Nessie nearly threw up, and for once, it had nothing to do with alcohol.

She saw his disgusted face in her mind. It was a curse that her memories were sharp, so sharp she could replay them perfectly to herself or anyone else on whim. And there Jacob's face was, replaying on a loop in her head. Over and over and over.

She swallowed he lump in her throat, her eyes prickling painfully. She glanced about herself, suddenly at a loss. She was still wearing her sequined, gold top and had her skin been more human it would have an angry indentation from the straps. She sighed and got up though her heart begged her to stay, to crawl back on the couch and wait for it all to pass…wait as long as she could.

But she knew that it wouldn't do any good so she slowly opened the door. She walked quietly down the hallway, though she knew it didn't matter. She could have floated and her family would still have heard her.

She turned the corner, and then she saw them. If it was possible, her heart sunk even further. Her parents were back and were sitting in the living room with out the buffer of her extended family. She was denied even that comfort. She turned her head slowly to the left and there he was – Jacob. He was leaving against the glass sliding door, nearly as tall as the door itself and far more imposing. Nessie could quite easily break the door – Jacob was another story entirely. She could barely look at him.

Her heart skipped a beat.

No one spoke for a moment. Her father's face was like stone – completely unreadable, terrifying in its blankness. Her mother looked pained, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

"Put on some decent clothes. We're going for a walk." Jacob said. It wasn't a question.

Her face flushed as she realized her shirt was a little too revealing for present company.

"It's too revealing for any company." Edward said coldly, ignoring Bella's unasked question. Nessie knew better then to argue and left, reemerging a moment later in fresh jeans and a sweatshirt. She walked past her stoic parents, her heart beating out of her chest. She held her head high, following Jacob, as though marching to her own execution. Her mind was numb. She could barely think, barely even breath.

They walked in unbearable silence for a few miles. The deceptive calm was eerie and threatening to tear her carefully woven control, each moment fraying at yet another thread.

A few miles into the woods Jacob stopped abruptly, turning to face her. He towered over her, shaking silently with fury. Nessie had never been afraid of anything around Jacob. And yet she stood there afraid of _Jacob_.

She knew what would happen. She knew what was coming.

"Sit!" he ordered, barely controlling his voice. He pointed almost violently to the log behind her. His tone brooked no argument and she sat obediently waiting for the inevitable.

"I don't know what to say to you…" he began. Somehow, Nessie seriously doubted him. She was right. "I have been up all night with your family. I don't know what happened, and I don't care. You're behavior is so completely out of line…so utterly reckless!"

Nessie stared, wide-eyed. He was yelling now.

"I never though I would say this, but you have turned into a spoiled, selfish, arrogant brat, Renesme!" she flinched at the use of her given name. "I'm so glad you've conviently forgotten, but let me remind you. Every person in that room including dozens of their friends – and mine – almost gave their lives to save you. Your mother, in fact, actually did!"

Nessie couldn't believe he had actually gone there. Tears streamed silently down her face but Jacob was unperturbed. He loved her too much not to say what needed to be said.

"This is over. You will not go out anymore. You will not lie and you will not manipulate. I don't know if you've noticed but your father doesn't sleep and my needs are minimal. If necessary one of us will guard you day and night until your eighteenth birthday. Are we clear?" he asked menacingly, drawing himself to his full goliath height.

She nodded miserably, her vision entirely obscured by tears.

"Good, go back to your parents' home. I'll be over with your mom and dad in a few minutes."

Nessie stood without and word and turned and ran towards the cottage.

* * *

Jacob took off too towards the main house, arriving a few minutes later.

He entered to find Bella and Edward deep in conversation. Bella turned immediately. "What did you say to her?" she asked.

Edward raised his eyebrows. "How did you manage that? I thought you had to give an imprint whatever they wanted."

"What they need supersedes what they want." Jacob said gruffly.

"What did he say?" Bella pressed.

"He called her a selfish, arrogant, brat and told her her behavior was a fine way of repaying you for your sacrifice, and if need be one of us would be with her at all times." Edward explained, impressed that Jacob had succeeded where he had failed.

"What did she say?"

"Nothing at all." Jacob sighed, feeling thoroughly miserable. After all a necessary evil was still and evil. His hopes so high just hours before were now thoroughly dashed.

And now, the hard work of living had to begin.

Nessie sat softly on the bed, her eyes unfocused. She'd know this day was coming for a long time. She knew eventually Jacob would see what she had seen all along. She didn't fit and she never had. She didn't belong with her family. She didn't belong with him. She didn't belong with anybody.

_This is over_

The words rang in her head. She had no fight left. She was never going to fit with her family, or with Jacob, and now she was never going to have the chance to fit at school.

She heard the door shut downstairs. Her parents were home, and Jacob, she could smell him.

She sighed and lay back on the bed. She didn't know why he was still here. He'd made it quite clear that she disgusted him, that she was a brat, that he hated her.

If anything she thought he should be grateful that she'd let him off the hook. Now he could go home to his pack for good – he didn't have to stick around humoring freaks – but even as she thought it she prayed he wouldn't leave her, though he had every right to.

Her heart constricted painfully at the very idea of him leaving …again.

* * *

**A/N **– So I know this was shorter, but now that Jacob's back things should start moving along. Can you guess why Nessie's acting this way yet?

Anyway please review!


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